Driftwood Smoke
by darksideofnight
Summary: "It's a flower. It'll only die soon, anyway." "It and I have much in common." Ghanima is dying, and Leto must say good-bye to his beloved empress. Book timeline.


Warnings/Notices: Incest. Nothing dirty or anything, but it's still incest….so yeah. Also, this is based on a passage in God Emperor of Dune where Siona and Nayla read a poem that Leto wrote when Ghani died, and find the starflower blossom pressed within the pages. It is really, really, sad, but very sweet, and it would probably benefit you to reread it before this fic, but you absolutely do not need to.

"Here. It's for you." Ghanima reached her hand out to her brother, a starflower blossom clutched within it.

"A flower?" He took it hesitantly, as though expecting the water based plant to crumble in his desert fingers.

"They are more and more common. Our beloved desert is coming to an end." She sighed and sat down on the bed next to him, looking sad. "Yet, the flower is beautiful, yes?" She smiled, in spite of how her overall mood appeared. It had been thirty years since Leto had ascended to the throne. She was almost forty, yet her twin was still, for all intents and purposes, (yet really none at all,) nine years old. Except for their memories, of course.

"That's awfully superficial of you." He said like he was chiding her, but chuckled and twirled the thin stem in his fingers. "It will die soon, anyway." Her smile shrank away, and he looked at her more intently, trying to detect the problem.

"It and I have much in common. You will have to excuse my attitude." She wrapped an arm around her twin. His all blue eyes were wide, as though he could not have foreseen this. And, according to their plan, he couldn't have. Not without breaking his own rules.

"But…how can that be? You are only forty. You cannot be dead, yet." The flower was no longer unimportant; he clutched it to his heart, as though holding it would keep her alive.

"And yet, the doctor has told me that I am to die, soon enough. I am sorry I cannot stay by your side for longer."

"I am sorry about that, too." He sighed, lying back on the bed they'd been seated on. His sister followed suit. She grasped his hand, inspecting it.

"Your hand is so small, now. It will be forever, because you took the burden." She looked like she might cry for a moment, but blinked the tears away, preserving her water in the Fremen tradition.

"I know." He smiled, slightly. "I am a perpetual child." In spite of the grim news, they both chuckled.

"I think Irulan would very much agree with that sentiment." They stayed like that for a long time, simply enjoying the silence.

"Leto?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I love you. I wish I didn't have to go so soon."

"I love you, too. But it is to be the way of things. I only hope that you will wait for me on the other side." Neither said that, if their plan worked, he wouldn't ever be joining her. He would live forever as Shai-Huluud, and would never be allowed to join her.

"Good-bye, love." Leto watched silently as she passed, eyes blinking out, and breath ceasing. He wept silently, and stood, carrying his once-empress to her own made up bed, where her body was prepared in the Fremen style.

8888888888

He wasn't sure why he had come here. To the beach. Perhaps it was because she had brought him the flower, a product of water. But, the place wasn't even supposed to exist on a planet such as Arrakis. The light waves touched his toes gently. It was an odd sensation to someone who grew up in the desert, but millions of others within him could easily identify with the feeling. The flower she'd given him was again between his fingers, but it was dried and preserved. It would live much longer than the woman who'd plucked it.

The sky was a dull gray, and there was the slight scent of smoke on the air. The green waters flowed in and out, his eyes following them as he mused. He hadn't only lost his sister, and Empress. There was only one pre-born left in all of his empire. He was alone. The thought plagued him, for he knew that it was a feeling he would have to get used to in order to play his role correctly. He wept again. But, he was certain that it was to be the last time, for who else was there to waste water on? The Fremen said tears were water for the dead, so he gave his tears to Ghani. Beautiful Ghanima whom he would never see again. Realistically, he'd known it was coming. He just hadn't realized how strong the feeling would be once it was there.

He gathered himself, and stepped away from the water. He was still sad, but he pushed the feelings away, knowing it was necessary to maintain his own rule. He steeled himself for what was ahead. It would be long, and it would most certainly be painful, but he'd made his choice. And besides, the multitude within had much experience with pain. He was certain that he was ready to face the empire without the woman he loved at his side.

A/N: Please forgive any inconsistencies, though I tried to keep them to a minimum. Hope you liked it, and review! Please


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